Five things to watch: Seattle Seahawks at St. Louis Rams

<big><b>Five things to watch: Seattle Seahawks (6-1) at St. Louis Rams (3-4)</b></big>
<small>Monday, Oct. 28 | 5:40 p.m. PDT | Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis | TV: ESPN</small>
It feels like forever since the Hawks last played -- it was two Thursdays ago, Oct. 17, when they went into Arizona and dominated their divisional rival Cardinals in what might as well have been a nationally televised celebration, brought to you by the NFL Network, of the ascendance of the Seattle Seahawks. The Hawks entered that contest after a short, four-day turnaround, but now have enjoyed an extended break between Week 7's "Thursday Night Football" game and this coming "Monday Night Football" matchup against another NFC West foe in St. Louis.
For the second straight week, the Seahawks have a chance to prove themselves on national TV. And they'll be doing it Monday against a struggling Rams team that has not only taken a step back this year in defense, but just lost its starting quarterback for the rest of the season. The Rams are in bad shape -- heck, they even <a href="http://blog.seattlepi.com/football/2013/10/24/rams-the-hawks-next-foe-so-desperate-for-a-qb-brett-favre-is-called/">reached out to 44-year-old Brett Favre</a> this week -- and Seattle may be the last opponent they would hope to face at this point in their rapidly unraveling season. Nevertheless, that just makes the target on Seattle's back that much bigger.
No NFL game is one to be overlooked -- Seattle struggled against the Rams last season -- and there are numerous areas in which the Seahawks need to improve. While most Vegas bookies have the Hawks as 11- to 12-point favorites, we all know what can happen on any given ... well, Monday in this case. Click through the gallery to read our five key things to watch in Monday's big divisional matchup between the Seattle Seahawks and St. Louis Rams. less

But first ... <b>the last time they met in St. Louis:</b>
<big><em>Sept. 30, 2012 — Seahawks 13, at Rams 19</em></big>
It was Russell Wilson's fourth game as Seattle's rookie starting quarterback and people still didn't quite know what kind of team the Seahawks were. Heading into Week 4 last year, the Hawks certainly didn't look like the squad that would end up out-scoring opponents 170-43 in the final four games of the season and miss the NFC National Championship game by a mere 31 seconds. But the NFL spotlight was trained squarely on the Seahawks after their wild "Fail Mary" win over the Green Bay Packers the Monday before, and emotions were high.
On Sept. 30, 2012, in St. Louis, the Seahawks jumped out to an early 7-3 lead after an 18-yard touchdown run by Marshawn Lynch, but that would be Seattle's one and only touchdown of the game. The Rams defense allowed Wilson just 160 passing yards and picked him off three times, and those turnovers became the difference in the defensive deathmatch. The Seahawks held St. Louis to just 286 total yards, but kicker Steven Hauschka's two field goals weren't enough to snag a victory.
St. Louis finished 2012 with just one loss to a division opponent -- to the Seahawks in Week 17 -- and appeared to be a team on the rise under head coach Jeff Fisher. This year, the Rams have at times looked laughable, and their only wins have come against the equally laughable Cardinals, Jaguars and Texans. Meanwhile, the Seahawks have only improved, and have a chance to take the division's midseason heavyweight title this Monday in Week 8. less

But first ... <b>the last time they met in St. Louis:</b>
<big><em>Sept. 30, 2012 — Seahawks 13, at Rams 19</em></big>
It was Russell Wilson's fourth game as Seattle's rookie starting quarterback and ... more

Photo: Seth Perlman / Associated Press

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<b>1. It's time for Seattle's offense to shine</b>
Wilson has continued to amaze this season, and his first-down pass while being tackled last week (pictured) is just one example of his ability to make something out of nothing. With 34 points on 135 rushing and 209 passing yards, the Seahawks offense put together its arguably most complete game yet this season against the Cardinals in Glendale, Ariz., but there are still some wrinkles to iron out.
Arizona only scored 22 points last week because of the mistakes Seattle made. Seven of those points came off of one of Wilson's three fumbles that evening -- an ugly strip-sack that gave the Cardinals the ball at Seattle's 3-yard line. Any team can punch it in from there. Arizona's second touchdown came with less than five minutes left in the game, after linebacker K.J. Wright helped out QB Carson Palmer with a pass-interference flag (just one of the Hawks' 10 penalties). By that point, the Seahawks had the game in the bag -- and they should find themselves in the same position Monday if they can take care of the ball and keep dumb mistakes to a minimum.
Last year, Lynch ran for over 100 rushing yards in each game against the Rams. That's when St. Louis was giving up 117.5 yards per game. This year, the Rams have stumbled backward and are giving up 126.4 rushing yards per outing, ranking them 30th out of the 32 NFL teams. In other words, Lynch could have a field day with these struggling Rams, and when Seattle's running game clicks (especially with its "new" fullback), Seattle's whole offense clicks. We'll see Monday whether the Seahawks' run-first offense can fuel Wilson's impressive passing game. less

<b>1. It's time for Seattle's offense to shine</b>
Wilson has continued to amaze this season, and his first-down pass while being tackled last week (pictured) is just one example of his ability to make ... more

Photo: Rick Scuteri / Associated Press

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<b>2. Has the offensive line improved?</b>
Seattle's O-line has been in our "five things to watch" every week, and for good reason. The Seahawks' biggest challenge so far this year has been the injuries on the offensive line and its resulting weakness against opposing defenses, particularly the blitz. Seattle has limped along and has kept on winning, but we've seen how frequently Wilson has had to scramble out of the pocket when his protection has collapsed.
While that means we have also seen what Wilson can do when he's on the run -- he can scramble for first downs, he can find open receivers, he can pass deep to Sidney Rice for a touchdown -- the Seahawks would rather give Wilson the space to sit back, relax, maybe sip a beer and take his leisurely time finding an open receiver. Perhaps that's an exaggeration, but that's the idea.
Paul McQuistan has continued to struggle as Russell Okung's fill-in at left tackle, and McQuistan's replacement at left guard -- James Carpenter -- has also been a weakness on the offensive line. But the rookie who took over for Breno Giacomini at right tackle, Michael Bowie, has clearly improved with each and every start. And now that center Max Unger and starting tight end Zach Miller are back from their own injuries, Seattle's O-line is stronger than it has been since Okung left the Jacksonville game with a hurt toe in Week 3. Keep an eye on whether the O-line's play improves Monday. less

<b>2. Has the offensive line improved?</b>
Seattle's O-line has been in our "five things to watch" every week, and for good reason. The Seahawks' biggest challenge so far this year has been the injuries on ... more

Photo: AJ Mast / Associated Press

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<b>3. The return of <del>Percy Harvin</del> Michael Robinson</b>
The national media were going nuts about the potential return of wide receiver Percy Harvin, who has missed the entire season so far after hip surgery in early August. The Seahawks made a big splash in the offseason by acquiring Harvin in a blockbuster trade with the Vikings, but have yet to benefit from the deal on the field. It's only a matter of time until Harvin adds a new weapon to Seattle's underperforming offense.
But will Harvin play on Monday, as just about every sports pundit <a href="http://blog.seattlepi.com/football/2013/10/23/what-people-are-saying-about-percy-harvins-return-to-seahawks/">has asked</a>? The answer is no. He <a href="http://www.seattlepi.com/sports/article/Harvin-hopes-to-get-back-soon-for-Seattle-4917963.php">just started practicing</a> this week (pictured), he was limited in practice at that, and he is still not on Seattle's active roster. Head coach Pete Carroll has maintained all week that Harvin's status is day-to-day and that the team doesn't want to rush his recovery. On Saturday, he confirmed that Harvin will not be playing Monday.
Nevertheless, there will be a new face on the team regardless ... well, not exactly "new." This week also marked the <a href="http://blog.seattlepi.com/football/2013/10/22/fan-favorite-michael-robinson-says-he-has-resigned-with-seahawks/">return of fullback Michael Robinson</a>, who had been one of the strongest -- if not <em>the</em> strongest -- team leaders in Seattle's locker room for several years. That is, until he was cut before the start of 2013 after an illness kept him out of the end of the preseason. Turns out, Robinson was <a href="http://blog.seattlepi.com/football/2013/10/22/michael-robinson-it-feels-awesome-to-be-back-in-seattle/">in the hospital</a> for complications, including kidney and liver failure, from taking a prescription anti-inflammatory -- and, it turns out, Carroll and GM John Schneider told Robinson he might be back if anything happened to fullbacks Derrick Coleman and Spencer Ware.
Indeed that happened; Coleman was knocked out of the Arizona game (hamstring) and Ware has been inactive for weeks with an ankle injury. The Hawks called up Robinson and re-signed him to the team on Monday, much to the delight of Seahawks fans and players alike. There's no guarantee he'll play Monday, but it's likely Robinson will be back on the field with his brothers. Lynch has got to be happy his old blocker is back. less

<b>3. The return of <del>Percy Harvin</del> Michael Robinson</b>
The national media were going nuts about the potential return of wide receiver Percy Harvin, who has missed the entire season so far after ... more

Photo: Ted S. Warren / Associated Press

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<b>4. Can the Rams do anything against Seattle's defense?</b>
In the NFL, you need a quarterback. The Rams do not have a quarterback.
At least not a good one. Their starter, Sam Bradford, is now out for the season after suffering a torn knee ligament last week in St. Louis' ugly 30-15 loss to the Carolina Panthers. Career backup Kellen Clemens (pictured) is slated to start against the Seahawks on Monday, but the Rams clearly aren't too confident in him -- they signed two new quarterbacks in the wake of Bradford's injury. One of them is veteran Brady Quinn, who was competing for the backup job in Seattle before losing the preseason competition to Tarvaris Jackson. (The other new Rams QB is undrafted youngster Austin Davis.)
Clemens will be facing Seattle's suffocating Legion of Boom secondary, and he doesn't have the flashiest set of targets. Tight end Jared Cook is leading the Rams with 344 receiving yards, followed by wideouts Chris Givens, Austin Pettis and No. 8 draft pick Tavon Austin. With former first-overall pick Bradford under center, St. Louis' receivers have teamed up for the league's 18th-best passing offense at 228.1 yards per game; we have yet to see what they can do with Clemens in charge for four full quarters. But the matchup with Seattle's Richard Sherman, Brandon Browner, Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor doesn't bode well for the Rams. Monday should also see the return of linebacker Bobby Wagner, who participated in full practice this week after missing two games with an ankle injury.
Meanwhile, St. Louis is the NFL's fourth-worst team on the ground. With a running duo of Daryl Richardson and rookie Zac Stacy, the Rams have managed an average of just 70.6 rushing yards per game -- a statistic that is skewed, mind you, by a 143-yard rushing performance against the lowly Jaguars. Take out the Jacksonville game, and the Rams are averaging just 58.3 yards per game on the ground. St. Louis depends on its passing game.
Good defenses crush one-dimensional offenses. Can the Rams get anything going against Seattle's secondary and its increasingly impervious run defense? After all, the Seahawks have a plethora of bruisers on the defensive line and held the Cardinals to a measly 30 rushing yards. Through seven weeks now, the Seahawks have the NFL's second-best defense overall, giving up just 282.2 total yards per game. It would be difficult for the Hawks to have a more favorable matchup ... that is, unless they played the Jags again. less

<b>4. Can the Rams do anything against Seattle's defense?</b>
In the NFL, you need a quarterback. The Rams do not have a quarterback.
At least not a good one. Their starter, Sam Bradford, is now out for ... more

Photo: Eric Gay / Associated Press

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<b>5. Seahawks superstar receiver ... Doug Baldwin?</b>
When you think of the NFL's best wide receivers, who comes to mind? Probably not Doug Baldwin, who is leading the Seahawks with 360 receiving yards. Though he doesn't have superstar numbers on a Seattle offense that passes relatively little, he has been turning a lot of heads recently. There were even a few unsubstantiated trade rumors on Twitter this week, <a href="https://twitter.com/DougBaldwinJr/status/392808266293452800">prompting a tweet</a> from the Hawks receiver himself: "BREAKING NEWS!!! Doug Baldwin TRADED ... a Pikachu for a Charizard. #Pokemon"
Why all the recent chatter about Baldwin? Well, there's the fact he's Seattle's leading receiver despite being targeted barely more than four times per game. But there's also the fact that with so few touches, he's ranked in the league's top 10 (among receivers with 20 or more catches) in reception percentage (75.9) and yards per reception (16.4). Oh, and there was <a href="http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/0ap2000000252228/Doug-Baldwin-24-yard-catch">this amazing, clutch catch</a> that jumpstarted the Seahawks' wild comeback in Houston.
Baldwin usually plays in the slot, where Harvin has also excelled, so keep that in the back of your mind as you watch the Hawks and the Rams on Monday. How will the team eventually incorporate both receivers? But in the meantime, watch whether Baldwin comes up with another big performance as Seattle's offense tries to heat up. less

<b>5. Seahawks superstar receiver ... Doug Baldwin?</b>
When you think of the NFL's best wide receivers, who comes to mind? Probably not Doug Baldwin, who is leading the Seahawks with 360 receiving yards. ... more

Photo: Elaine Thompson / Associated Press

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<b>BONUS: Will there be anyone at Edward Jones Dome?</b>
At the same time the Seahawks and Rams play Monday, just a few blocks south of the football dome is Busch Stadium, where the St. Louis Cardinals and Boston Red Sox will be playing Game 5 of the World Series.
Guess which game is a bigger deal.
Even Russell Wilson will be rooting for the Cardinals; he is good friends with the team's star left fielder. “I’m really actually really good friends with Matt Holliday (pictured) and their family,” said Wilson, who played both football and baseball at N.C. State. “Matt Holliday’s dad, Tom Holliday, was my baseball coach at N.C. State. He was the assistant head coach there. So we have a really good relationship there."
A lot of empty seats are expected at Edward Jones Dome for the Seahawks-Rams game, even though millions of people will be watching at home on ESPN's "Monday Night Football." The Rams were selling some tickets for as low as $8 on Friday. Considering the ticket prices for games at CenturyLink Field this year, some Seattle fans might find it cheaper to fly to St. Louis to watch their Seahawks up close. Perhaps, like last week in Arizona, there'll be a large and loud 12th Man contingency in St. Louie.
"Whether if it's 75,000 people or just two people, our biggest thing is we got to play great football, any time, any place," Wilson said. "That’s what we talk about all the time." less

<b>BONUS: Will there be anyone at Edward Jones Dome?</b>
At the same time the Seahawks and Rams play Monday, just a few blocks south of the football dome is Busch Stadium, where the St. Louis Cardinals and ... more

Photo: Doug Pensinger / Getty Images

Five things to watch: Seattle Seahawks at St. Louis Rams

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